Grumpy Bears 2015 Silverado 2WD

Grumpy Bear · June 7, 2019

Six tanks totaling 2,405 miles and using 79.13 gallons of 87 E-10 netting 30.4 mpg. This is since the 170 F thermostat and 0W30 change and I would say the warmer weather June has brought us looking back about a dozen fuel stops or so. This was hit and miss last summer. Now almost turn key. Yesterdays tank I ran at 55 mph with the air on and still holding the AFM in with an 8 mph wind not in my favor. What was a struggle is now pretty darn easy. Which creates another problem. I get disappointed when I think she might not hit 30 mpg regardless of weather.

Some noteworthy points: This years 36 tank low is only 1/4 mpg below last years HIGH and is a 1/4 mpg above the life time average. Note how few tanks this past winter fell below the life time average. Yes in part to fewer miles but not by many. The consistency in the last six tanks I attribute to the 3 Click method removing a quart plus minus from the fill error or a half gallon total swing is now under a cup total.

Other stuff. I pulled a pint of coolant and added back water to help heat transfer. Tested removed coolant was -45 F so more than 50/50 mix. I test again in a few days. As I run in a pretty much fixed speed window little things are noticed. Just this small water move brought the thermostat to a state of modulation. 2* F the sum total of the move in coolant temperature with a like move in transmission steady state numbers. Keeps oil 195 F or less or has during these 85 F days.

I will be removing the old versions of this chart.

Needless to say latest 'situation' in s 170 F thermostat and 0W30 Redline. Best combination to date. 22% over baseline.

Edited June 10, 2019 by Grumpy Bear
Additional Content

bg1988 · June 12, 2019

if you really REALLY want to get some better MPG you will need to do something about your aerodynamic drag and use HIGHWAY gears i.e 3.08

being 0.415 for the silverado and serria

IF you can get it down to 0.34 you will see significant gains same as a Geo Metro

On the hybrid it's sitting in v4 at 80-85mph no issue...... and barely hear the wind..

I have been using Chevron 91 but SHELL 91 has a new "formulation"

so i'm testing that out... if I get like 1MPG more with SHELL i'll stick with it, if it's the same i'll just use any of the two.....

for reference the 6.0L engine can only normally get 11-13MPG without the hybrid Module combined..

19-city/31-Highway

25MPG Combined with the Hybrid Module..

( on the city part I'm running new tests as the battery performance and increased due to a hybrid software glitch I have been exploiting)

but I have found a new software glitch in the hybrid system that will let me regeneration while accelerating(or increasing speed). on a downhill .... normally you have to let your foot off the gas THIS can waste Kinetic & Potential Energy... Because i can get to 80-85mph while regeneration at the same time... and have a LOT OF SPEED to get up on the next up coming hill by the time I crest the hill i'll be going 55mph (45 is the minimum ).....

other wise it will only gain 1-4mph which will NOT get me up the next hill.. = waste more gas

I have also noticed my High voltage battery has a HIGHER SOC and able to go about 4 miles on EV mode (this saves a lot of gas around town)..before I only got about a few blocks

also AFM aka v4 works at 70 to 85 mph range (I have not tested higher)

this is a 6.0l V8 using 91 octane fuel only.. i find i use 3rd gear less with 91 octane it seems to save a lot of fuel about 5 extra MPG or 1$ per gallon

after doing this software glitch I feel that the HV battery is working much better and more performance out of it (it's 11 years old with 88,500 miles) as I drove it around town on EV much more today WITH THE HV-Electric A/C on too...

Grumpy Bear · June 12, 2019

Hypermiling.

About the time I think I know the meaning of a word or a phrase, somebody changes it.

Take ‘Hypermiling’ for example. This use to mean driving like an idiot. Coasting down hills with the motor off in neutral kind of crazy. Running on bald tires at the maximum pressure kind of crazy. Plywood duck tails and fender skirts crazy. Drafting within inches of a Semi Tractor Trailer.

Now it seems just driving in a rational manor; which in point of reference most do not. I’ve said numerous times that I am not one of those Hypermilers. But given the standards change, perhaps I am.

I drive at or below the posted speed limits; above the minimum and am respectful of other drivers while not being intimidated into lawless or reckless behaviors by those whose world revolves around only themselves.

Give ya a for instance. State road says 55 mph. It’s 10 AM and I have the road mostly to myself. I drive 50 mph. Guy comes up behind me. We have a passing lane for a reason. Use it I’m not speeding up. The other lane is open.

Cruise control. I use it like a religion. Even I can’t abide drivers that are 45 mph one minute then 70 the next only to rinse and repeat at some random speed increments. Ya know, like real Hypermiling priest.

I keep the truck in tip top shape which means I’m dead anal about tire pressures and alignments. I get what there is to get from a product, such as a tire, but don’t get nutty shaving tires or shopping takeoffs with limited tread.

As Pepper is primarily a pleasure ride I get to pick my poisons when it comes to routes, weather, and time of day and so on and I do make the most of it. I have a weather and traffic app and know how to use them.

I rarely use the AC and with the solar tints rarely need to.

I perfect the maintenance in both time and product selection to get the most of a situation. Does that make me one of the? Well it doesn’t make me average and I know that but average is pretty crazy these days.

BTW, Pepper is not an E-assist vehicle.

KARNUT · June 12, 2019

I don’t drive my pleasure vehicles on trips. Although my Camrys is surprisingly comfortable to drive. It gets very good gas mileage driving just over the speed limit usually 72-74. 72 with light traffic up to 74 with the flow. On the interstate I’ll go faster passing in the left lane if someone is gaining on me. On two lanes I’ll go 60 in a 55, 70 in a 70. I don’t drive for fuel mileage, I buy for it. My personal ride gets bad fuel mileage but it’s fun going even going slow. I never drove it more than 9 miles at a time. I never get annoyed when someone drives the speed limit, only if they drive under on a two lane. It’s about sharing the road and respect. We don’t know what going on in the other guys world.

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Grumpy Bear · June 14, 2019

On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 5:47 PM, KARNUT said:

I don’t drive my pleasure vehicles on trips. Although my Camrys is surprisingly comfortable to drive. It gets very good gas mileage driving just over the speed limit usually 72-74. 72 with light traffic up to 74 with the flow. On the interstate I’ll go faster passing in the left lane if someone is gaining on me. On two lanes I’ll go 60 in a 55, 70 in a 70. I don’t drive for fuel mileage, I buy for it. My personal ride gets bad fuel mileage but it’s fun going even going slow. I never drove it more than 9 miles at a time. I never get annoyed when someone drives the speed limit, only if they drive under on a two lane. It’s about sharing the road and respect. We don’t know what going on in the other guys world.

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Stay out of the corn belt then. Six months a year you're following that little SLOW triangle. Some of that stuff can take both lanes at once and they will keep it up for MIIIIIIILES.. I take a shaving kit with me.

I was down I-39 last night following an 'OVERSIZED" load doing 50 mph with four blockers taking both lanes on over and underpasses for about an hour. That thing must have been a hundred feet long. Biggest I beam I've ever seen. 8 feet high? A foot in cross section? Should have seen the show in the road works areas that were down to one lane and half a shoulder. I was glad to have them. Head wind Speaking of roadwork. The sawhorse it the Illinois state animal. Two to ten mile sections of 45 or 55 mph (depending on the work) with a dozen or so miles in between them. Goes on for a hundred miles or more.

We have no shortage of elderly farmers that just like the 45 mph pace. We haven't a state minimum speed limit but most figure 45 is slow enough. Although I did get in the middle of a quarter mile train of cars following a little old lady on US 64 west clean across the state. Right behind her was an Illinois State Trooper. No one wanted to pass him. All well behaved. Serious, she drove like that for near 90 miles. When she finally pulled off to her destination the Trooper kept right on going 35 for about a half mile. Still no one passed him. I just had to laugh.

It's just different here. State is cut up in one mile paved roads for the most part. Not like West Texas or Kansas where around the block is a two day trip.

Wisconsin has 'Rustic Roads' Illinois and Iowa "Scenic Byways". Your expected to enjoy the ride. Of course the locals are always in a hurry. They see it every day.

KARNUT · June 14, 2019

Stay out of the corn belt then. Six months a year you're following that little SLOW triangle. Some of that stuff can take both lanes at once and they will keep it up for MIIIIIIILES.. I take a shaving kit with me. [emoji14]

I was down I-39 last night following an 'OVERSIZED" load doing 50 mph with four blockers taking both lanes on over and underpasses for about an hour. That thing must have been a hundred feet long. Biggest I beam I've ever seen. 8 feet high? A foot in cross section? Should have seen the show in the road works areas that were down to one lane and half a shoulder. I was glad to have them. Head wind Speaking of roadwork. The sawhorse it the Illinois state animal. Two to ten mile sections of 45 or 55 mph (depending on the work) with a dozen or so miles in between them. Goes on for a hundred miles or more.

We have no shortage of elderly farmers that just like the 45 mph pace. We haven't a state minimum speed limit but most figure 45 is slow enough. Although I did get in the middle of a quarter mile train of cars following a little old lady on US 64 west clean across the state. Right behind her was an Illinois State Trooper. No one wanted to pass him. All well behaved. Serious, she drove like that for near 90 miles. When she finally pulled off to her destination the Trooper kept right on going 35 for about a half mile. Still no one passed him. I just had to laugh.

It's just different here. State is cut up in one mile paved roads for the most part. Not like West Texas or Kansas where around the block is a two day trip.

Wisconsin has 'Rustic Roads' Illinois and Iowa "Scenic Byways". Your expected to enjoy the ride. Of course the locals are always in a hurry. They see it every day.

From 12-17 I drove farm tractors on backroads. From 17- to forever I drove earthmovers, tractors anything with tires over the road those usually with escorts. We would pull over when traffic would backup. I guess I should clarify. If a person appears to be able to drive the speed limit they should. Otherwise 4 way flashers should be on. It just the right thing to do.

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Grumpy Bear · June 15, 2019

16 hours ago, KARNUT said:

From 12-17 I drove farm tractors on backroads. From 17- to forever I drove earthmovers, tractors anything with tires over the road those usually with escorts. We would pull over when traffic would backup. I guess I should clarify. If a person appears to be able to drive the speed limit they should. Otherwise 4 way flashers should be on. It just the right thing to do.

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This is sore spot, eh? That's fine. I can respect that. It's why they put one steering wheel and one set of pedals in a car/truck. You've told me time and time again, "you never know what's going on in the other fellas head". How true. I let others drive theirs and I drive mine. Mine is the one I pay the tickets and service on or go to jail for, die in. They theirs.

Timely story. I'm coming home from diner last night from a town about 15 miles away on a county blacktop. I've followed this guy from in town, down the US highway just a mile or so to that blacktop. Once on US 64 the speed limit is 55 mph but most locals know that this blacktop is sort of a major shortcut to the north roads so most everyone never exceeds 45 until after this rather tricky turn off. This guy is doing 32-35 mph. Older midsized pickup with a barn paint job. Someone's pride and joy. I follow him the two miles to the next cross road never over 35 in a 55. Too hilly. No passing most of the way. Proceeds down the road at 35 and I follow him another two miles up hill and down dale until I get a good look around him in a passing zone. No idea what his story is and frankly, don't care unless he signals he is in distress. Anyway, see my spot and gently gas and go. I make it about 2/3 the way around and he boots it in the butt then lays on the horn. Man.....I'm in the Honda Civic. By the time I complete the pass I'm 20 over, deep into the next no passing zone and this fella is doing 60-70 mph. Soon as I get back in he goes back to 35 mph. You just never know what's in the other fellas head.

I made a nearly legal pass in a passing zone. In reality I should have hammered the brakes and fell back in line. In this state, that the four others I've lived in it is illegal to exceed the posted limit EVEN WHILE PASSING. That means the only people you can legally pass are those who are far enough under the limit to allow the pass in the space allotted. While Illinois hasn't a minimum on anything other than Interstates you do have to display the slow reflective triangle on vehicles under 45 mph. Then only if farm equipment.

Here is the Illinois truth. Almost everyone considers the law something you follow only in the presents of the law enforcer. State Police get respect but nearly no other lawman does. This state could float the budget if they would enforce the laws we have. Improper lane usage and the illegal pass chief among them followed only by speeding by at least 10 over. I keep that in mind when approaching a hill. That the guy coming over that hill will be somewhere between 10 and 25 over the limit, passing and in my lane with no plan for an OUT and willing to play chicken. Same at stop signs. The rolling 40 mph 'willing to bet you will flinch' intimidation stop. 45 to 50 makes more sense to me than any posted limit they have. Who do I endanger when willing to give the right of way to every idiot with the ability to climb behind the wheel. I avoid at least three 'killer' crashes a week driving this way. Which one of these knuckleheads on their phone, putting on makeup, driving 10+ over would notice my four way flashers? Just don't see how I'm the problem.

KARNUT · June 15, 2019

This is sore spot, eh? That's fine. I can respect that. It's why they put one steering wheel and one set of pedals in a car/truck. You've told me time and time again, "you never know what's going on in the other fellas head". How true. I let others drive theirs and I drive mine. Mine is the one I pay the tickets and service on or go to jail for, die in. They theirs.

Timely story. I'm coming home from diner last night from a town about 15 miles away on a county blacktop. I've followed this guy from in town, down the US highway just a mile or so to that blacktop. Once on US 64 the speed limit is 55 mph but most locals know that this blacktop is sort of a major shortcut to the north roads so most everyone never exceeds 45 until after this rather tricky turn off. This guy is doing 32-35 mph. Older midsized pickup with a barn paint job. Someone's pride and joy. I follow him the two miles to the next cross road never over 35 in a 55. Too hilly. No passing most of the way. Proceeds down the road at 35 and I follow him another two miles up hill and down dale until I get a good look around him in a passing zone. No idea what his story is and frankly, don't care unless he signals he is in distress. Anyway, see my spot and gently gas and go. I make it about 2/3 the way around and he boots it in the butt then lays on the horn. Man.....I'm in the Honda Civic. By the time I complete the pass I'm 20 over, deep into the next no passing zone and this fella is doing 60-70 mph. Soon as I get back in he goes back to 35 mph. You just never know what's in the other fellas head. [emoji20]

I made a nearly legal pass in a passing zone. In reality I should have hammered the brakes and fell back in line. In this state, that the four others I've lived in it is illegal to exceed the posted limit EVEN WHILE PASSING. That means the only people you can legally pass are those who are far enough under the limit to allow the pass in the space allotted. While Illinois hasn't a minimum on anything other than Interstates you do have to display the slow reflective triangle on vehicles under 45 mph. Then only if farm equipment.

Here is the Illinois truth. Almost everyone considers the law something you follow only in the presents of the law enforcer. State Police get respect but nearly no other lawman does. This state could float the budget if they would enforce the laws we have. Improper lane usage and the illegal pass chief among them followed only by speeding by at least 10 over. I keep that in mind when approaching a hill. That the guy coming over that hill will be somewhere between 10 and 25 over the limit, passing and in my lane with no plan for an OUT and willing to play chicken. Same at stop signs. The rolling 40 mph 'willing to bet you will flinch' intimidation stop. 45 to 50 makes more sense to me than any posted limit they have. Who do I endanger when willing to give the right of way to every idiot with the ability to climb behind the wheel. I avoid at least three 'killer' crashes a week driving this way. Which one of these knuckleheads on their phone, putting on makeup, driving 10+ over would notice my four way flashers? Just don't see how I'm the problem.

I’m sooo mis understood at times. I do feel we are sharing the road and should observe the speed posted. There are of course exceptions. The back roads of Texas have high speed limits. In lots of cases there’s ample passing zones and in some cases lanes. It never fails your patiently following some (person) driving 10 under until you can pass. Then of course they speed up, sometimes 10 over. More than 99.9999999 percent of the time. The people who usually just want to drive slow usually pull to the shoulder allowing people to pass. Even if I’m driving the speed limit on back roads I’ll pull over if it’s safe to do so. The situation you presented isn’t as common here, we have high speed limits. Usually you have a 10 percent buffer.

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swathdiver · June 15, 2019

I also use the cruise control almost exclusively while driving, except during landings and takeoffs! It never fails, we're cruising along at 71 mph and the same knucklehead will pass you three or four times or more. After the second time, my policy is to no longer move over for them as they are not paying attention, go around knucklehead. I've had some real screwballs like Marty encountered, driving slow as molasses and all of a sudden feel the need to establish dominance if you want to pass or change lanes near them, crazy folk.

A great many of these impatient and reckless drivers we encounter at the next stop light, exit or rest area. More than a few times I've had the same folks pass my rig in every state from Florida to New York. We were doing 60 or 65 at the time and they were running just as fast as they could get away with and yet, they kept passing our rig. Foolish.

Grumpy Bear · June 19, 2019

New chart beginning Jan 1, 2019. Less information makes current progress easier to see. As can be seen the 3-Click method has really taken the noise out of the data. (compare first 8 tanks to the remainder which is the point of change) The two highest days were both over 70 F. In fact the chart is almost a thermometer. The orange line is still the lifetime average. The yellow line is a 12 point moving average since the years beginning. There has not been a tank under 30 mph in 15 fill ups.

We have a service coming up Thursday where I will be going back to the 0W20 Red Line High Performance to see if there is anything there. I bought a case so at least the next 10K miles. I looking for more than a mileage improvement. I also want to see what, if any effect it has on heat. This will be a recheck of an earlier test. So A to B to A to B. Each segment several thousand miles.

Last color check today. Call it 5,000 miles. If I remember I'll draw a sample for color on Thursday. On the dipstick it is quite clear yet. Cooling it down this much has had a MAJOR impact on slowing thermal oxidation. I've put new oil in cars that was darker than this.

Jason will be taking some measurements to build the brackets for the bypass system. When he has them finished we will install it on the next change. Have a visual look over that next change then perhaps some more UOA including particulates. That change will also be the 100L service and I expect some larger work to be done. Plugs, wires and so on. Some of this will hinge on timing of each event as it unfolds so nothing is concrete. Playing it by ear.

Air temperature has a large influence on MPG. I expect this is something in the fuel tables.

Tire pressures have a large influence on MPG.

Wind speed and direction have a large influence on MPG IF over 10 mph. Little notice under that speed.

Oddly terrain does not have as much influence as one might think. At least in fuel programs where fuel injectors are shut off on deceleration. As long as the down grade is steep enough to shut them off.

Grumpy Bear · June 20, 2019

95,000 Mile Services

94,867 actual, 4,669 on this oil change. Back to 0W20 Red Line having collected the data on the 0W30. Pulled a color sample.

3,534 miles since the installation of the 170 F thermostat.Used 116.20 gallons of fuel = 30.4 mpg.

Worked out to 30.2 for the 180 F thermostat and 0W30. But only a thousand mile sample so......

No measurable usage. Cleaned the K&P filter and swapped 6 quarts of Red Line's finest.

Rotated the tires which now stand at 5 mm average tread depth or .199 inches. Hardly a measurable difference from the last rotation. I expect they are getting a bit hard. Starting to show a hint of weathering in the channels but sidewalls are stellar. Keep going. 35 psi.

Finished the under hood detailing. Looks new again. NICE.

I delivered the truck showing 31.6 mpg on this last tank and got it back at 30.1 mpg and logged it as such. Fresh oil, fresh tank. They love to let her idle. It had been a hot day and temperature seems to play a big part in the fuel mapping. More then I would have thought. Keep an eye on it.

Doublebase · June 24, 2019

On 6/20/2019 at 7:06 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

95,000 Mile Services

94,867 actual, 4,669 on this oil change. Back to 0W20 Red Line having collected the data on the 0W30. Pulled a color sample.

3,534 miles since the installation of the 170 F thermostat.Used 116.20 gallons of fuel = 30.4 mpg.

Worked out to 30.2 for the 180 F thermostat and 0W30. But only a thousand mile sample so......

No measurable usage. Cleaned the K&P filter and swapped 6 quarts of Red Line's finest.

Rotated the tires which now stand at 5 mm average tread depth or .199 inches. Hardly a measurable difference from the last rotation. I expect they are getting a bit hard. Starting to show a hint of weathering in the channels but sidewalls are stellar. Keep going. 35 psi.

Finished the under hood detailing. Looks new again. NICE.

I delivered the truck showing 31.6 mpg on this last tank and got it back at 30.1 mpg and logged it as such. Fresh oil, fresh tank. They love to let her idle. It had been a hot day and temperature seems to play a big part in the fuel mapping. More then I would have thought. Keep an eye on it.

Wow you're driving a lot!

Good to see you're still using the redline, and based off of what you're saying, not using much oil between changes. I've stayed with the recommended 0W20, but I may experiment with the 0W30 in the future. Right now I'm using Rotella's Synthetic Gas Truck oil. We'll see how that goes - as my truck generally uses 3/4's of a quart between 5,000 mile intervals.

As the weather has warmed up I'm back to averaging 25.9 mpg again (87 octane), set cruise to 68 mph highway, easy on the throttle and most importantly...let the damn thing coast. I love the other side of a hill, this thing will glide it's way to South America if I let it. That is absolutely key for me. I once owned a Dodge Ram (2004), 5.7 liter 4x4 - nice truck but the thing just never could coast - don't know if the gears wouldn't allow it...it would just slow down and demand that fuel to keep it going...all...of...the...time. I averaged 15 mpg in that thing, and that was with some effort.

I've said it before, I'll say it again...the 5.3, whether it's programmed to switch into V4 or whether it's geared to...goes in to V4 a lot. Cruise set to 68 will keep me in V4 mode I'd calculate, 70% of the time. It'll stay in V4 mode almost always on flat highway and it will stay in V4 mode going up some pretty long hills (I don't know the exact grade, not too steep, but it definitely will stay in V4 mode climbing slight highway inclines at 68 mph).

I have read that the more frequently your truck is in V4 mode, the more likely you'll have a lifter collapse. Nothing I can or will do about that, if it happens it happens. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...I can perform the job myself for maybe $800 in parts. If I make it till 150,000 mikes without issue?? That's less than what most people spend to have their timing belts replaced, I'm good with that.

And you just reminded me, I need to detail my engine bay...pollen is everywhere. I'll have to be careful...I fluid Film the inside of my engine bay (don't want to wash it all off).

Grumpy Bear · June 24, 2019

5 hours ago, Doublebase said:

Wow you're driving a lot!

Good to see you're still using the redline, and based off of what you're saying, not using much oil between changes. I've stayed with the recommended 0W20, but I may experiment with the 0W30 in the future. Right now I'm using Rotella's Synthetic Gas Truck oil. We'll see how that goes - as my truck generally uses 3/4's of a quart between 5,000 mile intervals.

As the weather has warmed up I'm back to averaging 25.9 mpg again (87 octane), set cruise to 68 mph highway, easy on the throttle and most importantly...let the damn thing coast. I love the other side of a hill, this thing will glide it's way to South America if I let it. That is absolutely key for me. I once owned a Dodge Ram (2004), 5.7 liter 4x4 - nice truck but the thing just never could coast - don't know if the gears wouldn't allow it...it would just slow down and demand that fuel to keep it going...all...of...the...time. I averaged 15 mpg in that thing, and that was with some effort.

I've said it before, I'll say it again...the 5.3, whether it's programmed to switch into V4 or whether it's geared to...goes in to V4 a lot. Cruise set to 68 will keep me in V4 mode I'd calculate, 70% of the time. It'll stay in V4 mode almost always on flat highway and it will stay in V4 mode going up some pretty long hills (I don't know the exact grade, not too steep, but it definitely will stay in V4 mode climbing slight highway inclines at 68 mph).

I have read that the more frequently your truck is in V4 mode, the more likely you'll have a lifter collapse. Nothing I can or will do about that, if it happens it happens. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...I can perform the job myself for maybe $800 in parts. If I make it till 150,000 mikes without issue?? That's less than what most people spend to have their timing belts replaced, I'm good with that.

And you just reminded me, I need to detail my engine bay...pollen is everywhere. I'll have to be careful...I fluid Film the inside of my engine bay (don't want to wash it all off).

Yes Mike, between 30 and 35K a year and I don't drive much in the winter. Not a fan of salt. Like you, I am not afraid of my V-4 and have done what I can to encourage it to stay on. Which is allot more often than it was when I bought her. 26 mpg summer! That's good! How many miles do you have on your truck? Remind me, what were you using before the Rotella GT? 0W30 is a great choice IMHO. Especially for those motors that don't use extra oil cooling and run factory water thermostats. Pretty sure you would like it. Enjoy the drive and thanks for dropping in!

Doublebase · June 24, 2019

2 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Yes Mike, between 30 and 35K a year and I don't drive much in the winter. Not a fan of salt. Like you, I am not afraid of my V-4 and have done what I can to encourage it to stay on. Which is allot more often than it was when I bought her. 26 mpg summer! That's good! How many miles do you have on your truck? Remind me, what were you using before the Rotella GT? 0W30 is a great choice IMHO. Especially for those motors that don't use extra oil cooling and run factory water thermostats. Pretty sure you would like it. Enjoy the drive and thanks for dropping in!

I have 33,000 miles on my truck now (bought her new April last year). I was on pace for 30,000 miles before the year was out, so I decided to stop using it on weekends and take the wife's Honda when we go out. It's a pain to park anyway, and honestly it may save it a few dents and dings. But I'll still be driving 25-28k a year regardless (80 mile round trip commute) - the problem I have is I drove MOST in the winter months and not much in the summer - as I'm a teacher and off the summers.

Before trying the Rotella Gas Truck I was using Pennzoil Platinum almost exclusively (although I did try Super Tech once and I did go in for my "free" oil change at the dealer...lord knows what kind of concoction they threw in it). The Rotella Synthetic Gas Truck appears to have a high moly content, along with a ridiculous amount of hype, marketing and rebates until the end of the year. The oil has gathered a lot of steam on Bob's The Oil Guy, but honestly it's just a gimmick Pennzoil product with more moly and a fancy jug. I keep my oil change intervals to 5,000 miles, the truck isn't pushed hard, I don't haul anything...but it does get driven.

Regarding salt...it's my biggest fear. Lol. Honestly, I'm nuts when it comes to rust prevention. I'm constantly looking under there to make sure every part of that frame is protected with something. Right now that frame wax has had three coats of fluid Film put on it. A few weeks ago I removed the tail lights and blasted some fluid Film up behind them (I've seen some of the 2014's rust up behind there). I'm always looking for new things to try, right now I'm stuck on the fluid film simply because I have five gallons of it, once that's gone I may try something else (it washes away a bit too easily for my liking).

Grumpy Bear · June 26, 2019

Two tanks since the trade back to 0W20. Wind, rain, trips to town I hate doing but needed the truck to do. Killed them both and while not what I hoped for it did make June 2019 the highest month on record to date and I might get one more tank in before books close on the month. Maybe.

This is 100 miles on this tank. (LOL look at that fuel gauge). It is a 88 F day at 40% relative humidity. A/C off, wind open. Wind South by South West at 2-6 mph. Route I-39 to I-80 and back starting in Rochelle Ill, and ending in Kingston Ill. (home). That's 12 miles more tail than head wind. Was also a 'hot start' finishing the previous tank and starting anew. 5 hours into the day. On a separate trip meter the last 51.1 miles recorded a straight up 36 mpg. 2-6 mph tail wind in light traffic. 300 ft. elevation rise over that 50 miles. Plenty of construction. Trip down was 31 and small change into the wind.